Simplify Your Move In

When it comes time to move on from one place and into another, these tips and tricks will help simplify the move-in process.

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Last week I told you ways to organize your move out. But, if you move out, you’ve got to move back in somewhere. And that process can be just as frustrating and complicated as the move out process.

Move On and Move In

Order Pizza (again)

By the time this move is over you’re going to be so sick of pizza! But, it’s always a tradition in our family to have pizza delivered the first night in a new house or apartment.

First, you get to try out a new, local pizza place. Second, you get to tell someone your new address and find out how difficult it is (or isn’t) to find it.

Not to mention the fact that it eliminates dirty dishes on the first night.

Clean the Place

No matter where we move I make it a point to only bring in the essentials until the place has been cleaned from ceiling to floor. And, I really mean that, especially if you’re renting. Landlords don’t always rent their places in immaculate condition.

Now, you could be like me and use Clorox wipes to clean off every inch of the house – walls, counters, cabinets, you name it – (I’m kind of a germaphobe). Or, you could focus on a few key places that are apt to be filthy, regardless of the condition of the rest of the place. I’m talking:

Light switches

Air vents

Door knobs

Ceiling fans (they can be the worst!)

Top shelves in closets

Tops of door frames and window sills

Whip out those wipes and get to disinfecting! You will be amazed at how much filth you can clean up.

And, while I’m all for saving a buck, I always buy name brand Clorox wipes because the quality is worth it and they do the job well. Check for deals on Amazon, just make sure they’re shipped to your old address a few days before the move, that way they arrive before you even set foot in the new place.

Unpack

Unpack on Day Two. There’s no need to pack, move, and unpack all in the same day. That’s just crazy – unless you’re moving across town (not the state/country) and the new place is already clean.

Even if you could do it all in one day, take sometime to get acclimated to your new location and determine where you want all of your belongings to settle before moving things in.

Movers

Don’t forget to hire movers for Day Two. You don’t want to have to do the heavy lifting, and you may not have enough (or any) friends in your town to assist.

Color Coordinate

If you’re like me and over-organize, you may even want to color coordinate your boxes. Use different colors of Duct Tape and mark boxes, then tape a map of the house on the front door with the colors marked for each room. It will make it super simple for your moving crew and, if you get pulled away for a minute, the operation won’t stop.

Unpack the Kids Room First

This should have been the last room you packed, and, it should be the first one to unpack. It’s important to make sure your kids are comfortable in their new home. (Even if that means unpacking their room on Day One).

Another perk to this is that you can use a baby gate to keep them in their rooms, playing, while you point movers in the right directions. You could even station yourself right at their door and keep an eye on them while you orchestrate the move in.

No Rush

Don’t feel like you have to unpack everything in one day. Take your time. This is your home for the next…while, so make sure you like where things go and you feel comfortable.

Keep Tabs

Make a list of items you need from the store (command strips, hardware, etc.) and take a break for shopping when you need to get away. Don’t overwhelm yourself with the stress.

Schedule Utilities

As a blogger I don’t like to be without internet, so that means having as little downtime as possible on the utilities between moves. So much so that I call my new places’ utility providers about two weeks before the move to make sure I get on the schedule for installation on move-in day.

This way, I’ll have the internet/cable guy doing his work while the movers do theirs. By the time everyone is finished, I’ll have everything I need, or I can just lock up the house and head to the store to fulfill that shopping list I made earlier.

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7 thoughts on “Simplify Your Move In”

The color coding of boxes and making a map of the new place is brilliant! I’m definitely guilty of just throwing things in garbage bags and totes and then never finding them again when I move. You have some really great tips that I’ll definitely be using when we move next summer!

These are great tips! We may be moving soon, assuming our home purchase goes through, and I dread the packing and unpacking. My original moving plan was just to toss it all and start fresh so I don’t have to move a thing, lol, but I think I’ll try your tips instead.